


this, like every time before

by cinderrain



Category: D.Gray-man
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-27
Updated: 2018-03-27
Packaged: 2019-04-08 17:19:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14110260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cinderrain/pseuds/cinderrain
Summary: “Think harder, Lavi,” and this time he does turn around, and the look in his eyes is cold, intense. “How do you know my name?”





	this, like every time before

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [LaviYuu Week 2018.](https://laviyuu-week.tumblr.com)  
> Prompt: Rain | Spring, Growth, Tears, Sorrow, Life

Lavi steps out of the library with a stack of books in his arms. He’d lost track of time in there, and he groans and slumps over his cargo when he sees his bus pulling away from the curb across the street. It’s raining, too, really pouring, and he doesn’t have anything to carry the books in so they won’t get wet. 

He bites his lip and sits down by the library entrance, tugging his jacket and scarf around him. He’s here for the long haul, now. At least he can read while he waits an hour for the next bus. 

Somebody else comes up to the library doors, in a long coat and longer hair that’s slightly damp from the rain. They lean their head on the door with a  _ thump _ . “Fuck.”

“Yeah, it just closed,” Lavi says, commiseratingly. “Closes early on Wednesdays, yeah?” Lavi bookmarks his page with one finger and looks up. 

“That’s a fucking stupid rule,” the (oh shit, attractive) stranger says. He rubs the bridge of his nose and slides down the wall across from Lavi, to join him in sitting in the entryway. “I can’t walk back now, it’s pouring.”

“Well, misery and company.” Lavi grins. “Lavi Bookman, nice to meet ya.” 

“Kanda.” 

“You could stand to look a little more enthused,” Lavi teases. He wonders what it would take to get a smile out of this guy. It might be a fun way to pass the time. 

“Why the fuck should I?” Kanda crosses his arms. What a glare. 

“To lighten the mood up a little!” Lavi makes a sweeping gesture at the weather. “Just ‘cause it’s raining like hell doesn’t mean we gotta make it narratively depressing.”

“I have no idea what you’re on about,” Kanda snorts. 

Lavi grins harder. Subject engaged! He sets his book to the side. “Aw, c’mon, I think meeting me is plenty occasion enough to be excited! You know you’ll hurt my feelings if you carry on like this.”

“Read your book and leave me alone.” Kanda nods at the pile next to Lavi and then looks pointedly away, into the rain that’s coming down in sheets now. 

“You don’t have anything to keep you occupied though! I make a pretty good conversationalist, if I may suggest an activity.” It’s kind of harder to get Kanda’s attention when he’s not even looking Lavi’s way. He shuffles a little to the side, as far as he can without getting rained on. 

Kanda sighs. To Lavi’s dismay, he starts to get up. “I think I’ll take my chances with the rain.”

“But -- but Yuu, darling, you’ll get all wet!” Lavi calls after him. 

Kanda freezes. 

The raindrops bounce off his shoulders and settle in his hair, but he doesn’t seem to notice them. “Say that again.”

Lavi tips his head to one side. “Hm? Yuu, darling, you’ll --”

“How do you know my name.” He still doesn’t turn around. 

“Huh?” Lavi feels suddenly out of his depth, but he can’t put a finger on why. “You told me.” When he sees Kanda shake his head, he adds, “polite gentleman like you, why wouldn’t you?”

“Think harder, Lavi,” and this time he does turn around, and the look in his eyes is cold, intense. “How do you know my name?”

“I.” Lavi’s about to protest that surely,  _ surely _ , Kanda must have told him. What else would make sense? “Oh.” A memory slams into him hard enough that he closes his eye. 

_ “ _ _ But Yuu calls you that.” _

_ “Yuu?” _

_ “Huh? Didn’t you know? It’s Kanda’s given name.” _

When he opens his eye again, Kanda’s watching him carefully. He looks, almost, scared. He looks like he’s waiting. He’s still getting rained on. 

Lavi laughs, a release of tension less shaky than he feels. “Hey. Missed you.”

Kanda steps back under the awning, and then closer, and then he’s kissing Lavi, careful and slow. 

He really did miss this. Miss him. 

 

A few minutes later they’re sitting, shoulder to shoulder, reminiscing about other pasts. 

“A bookstore this time? I guess that’s not bad,” Kanda muses. “I’m at the university.”

“Oh, studying? Good on you.” Lavi’s smile is softer, now, and hurts his face less. “Hey, we both know Lenalee already, like always, yeah?” 

Kanda nods. “And you’re slowest to remember, like always, idiot.” He says it fondly. 

“Hey, c’mon. It took you just as long, that time. The Black Order.” Lavi nudges Kanda in the ribs, and gets his hair scuffled in return. 

( _ “ _ _ How many more like this?” Kanda asks, after the war is over. “How many times do we have to do this?” _

_ “I could start counting. Keep numbers in my brain, yeah, ‘til we have enough to get the statistics of the lives that are horrible versus the ones that are nice.” Lavi hates how earnest he sounds, because he meant to only be joking, but if Kanda wants this for his peace of mind then Lavi will do whatever it takes. Even math.  _

_ Kanda sighs, but it’s one of the better ones. He rolls over in bed and presses a kiss to Lavi’s hair. “No, I’d probably rather not know. Idiot nerd,” he adds, and Lavi knows it means thank you. _ )

“Mm. Yeah, that one was fucked up. At least we were still the first ones to remember.” 

“We always are.” Lavi tips his head back, like he can see the sky through the awning and the clouds. “Do you think Lenalee’s found Allen yet? When was the last time you saw Komui?”

“A couple weeks. Lenalee likes to keep in touch.” There’s a tiny smile, just on one side. Lavi counts it a success anyway, no matter that it came about in a way he couldn’t have predicted fifteen minutes ago. “Even when she doesn’t remember, she likes to keep track.”

Lavi laughs. “Yeah.” 

( _ T _ _ here are times when half of them don’t make it to the points where they’re supposed to meet. There were lives where Lavi never met Kanda, and they both lived in ignorance all the way until old age. It’s a good habit, to keep track of the others. _ )

They sit in companionable silence for a few beats. “Hey.” He starts careful, and he can tell Kanda notices it immediately from the tension in his shoulders, where they’re pressed against Lavi’s. “Have you found Alma yet?”

“Oh.” He relaxes. “Yeah.”

Good. Lavi had thought Kanda looked like he was breathing a little easier this time. 

“Took me a while. It’s a hell of a lot better than the times we don’t meet at all.”

“I’m glad.” Lavi pulls Kanda in for another round of kissing, slow like they’ve got time. Slow like they’ve got forever. A million lifetimes. 

The rain stops. 

**Author's Note:**

> I meant to make this longer, but as always I planned poorly. I'm really excited for this ship week though! Let me know if you liked the fic in the comments; it's been a while since I've written in this fandom.


End file.
